Subaru has announced that the Outback lineup will soon receive two new turbocharged variants for model year 2023, in the form of the Sport XT and Touring XT that are now available for pre-order.
Both come powered by a 2.4-litre turbocharged petrol boxer four-cylinder engine that produces 183kW between 5200-6000rpm, with torque standing at 350Nm between 2000-4800rpm, which is channelled to all four wheels via a CVT automatic with Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel drive system.
The XT grades add 45kW/105Nm to the powertrain mix, alongside increased braked towing capacity, which now stands 400kg higher than the naturally aspirated Outback at a maximum of 2400kg.
Fuel economy figures are rated at 9.0L/100km on the combined cycle, which is considerably more than the claimed 7.3L/100km on offer in the naturally-aspirated 2.5i Outback.
The turbocharged XT grades gain a dual exhaust system, a set of LED fog lamps and exterior XT badging, while the rest of the MY23 Outback range has picked up a redesigned 11.6-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a USB-C port and a set of revised steering wheel controls.
Over the base model, the Outback Sport XT receives a set of heated seats upholstered in water-resistant material, a hands-free boot lift, 18-inch alloy wheels, front and side cameras and a black exterior styling package.
Upgrading to the Touring XT adds a heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats upholstered in Nappa leather, silver roof rails and an upgraded nine-speaker sound system from Harman Kardon.
On the safety front, both turbocharged XT variants gain Subaru’s EyeSight package that includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention and alerts, pre-collision brake assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, front and rear AEB and more.
Subaru’s updated Outback range is now available for pre-order, with deliveries expected to arrive in Australia in early 2023. Prices start from the following (excluding on-road costs):
2023 Subaru Outback 2.5i: $42,690
2023 Subaru Outback Sport 2.5i: $47,190
2023 Subaru Outback Touring 2.5i: $50,990
2023 Subaru Outback Sport XT 2.4T: $52,190
2023 Subaru Outback Touring XT 2.4T: $55,990
